Nothing's As It Seems
by Angel St. Mathew
Summary: A young boy appears at the boarding house just before the break of winter looking for lodging and a job. But he doesn't seem to fit into the newsie crowd, and some of the newsies begin to wonder where this young Irishman came from, and where he keeps disa
1. Chapter 1: The Stranger

NOTHING'S AS IT SEEMS  
By Angel St. Matthew  
3/1/01- 11/16/01  
  
Chapter 1: The Stranger  
  
He stared up at the drab, unfriendly looking building with a nervous expression, his hand shading his eyes to keep the rain away. There was light in some of the windows, and the sign outside the door read, "Newsboys Lodge House".   
And he stood with uncertainty outside the building, his clothes soaked completely through. His long ignored, slightly long black hair clung to the sides of his face and neck, but his brown, almost ebony eyes were wide and alert, as if he were waiting for someone from inside the building to come to him.  
A crash of thunder made him jump, and he whirled around, as if it had been someone standing behind him.   
After a moment, he turned back toward the front door of the building, trying to build enough courage to enter. Saying a small but fervent prayer in the back of his head, he ascended the steps and reached for the handle, pausing only for a second before grasping it and pushing the door open.   
Upon entering, he found himself in a different surrounding then outside, which he expected. The sudden warmth that hit him just by entering seemed only so much to him because he had just stepped in out of a heavy September storm.   
Behind the front desk sat an old, balding man, reading a chart or notepad of some sort.   
A light bulb glowed from the ceiling, illuminating the room and making it all the more appealing to the soggy figure that had just entered.  
Kloppman looked up from what he was doing, and what he saw didn't surprise him much.   
He'd seen worse come in through those doors.  
The boy stood there speechless, he wasn't certain what he should say.  
Seeing this, Kloppman sighed and put his pad down. "Lookin' for a place to sleep?"  
The boy only nodded.  
"Six cents a night, no less. Got washrooms and such, electricity, 'bout twelve bunk sets to a room, ain't no hotel-" The old man explained in a dry, bored tone as he stood and dug around for a pencil. This routine got old after a while.   
"Sign here". He said then, holding a dull pencil out to the boy and motioning toward the sign-in book lying on the counter.   
With a shaking hand, the boy took the pencil in his damp fingers and scribbled rather messily in the book. "You can come and go as ya please as long as ya pay for whatever night's ya stay". Kloppman continued as the boy handed the pencil back to him, and then he paused, looking him up and down. He wasn't much to look at, with his appearance being what it was.  
Tall, pretty thin, all around lanky, that was for sure.  
After a moment, the old man sighed again and came out from behind the counter, walking over to the flight of stairs by the wall.  
"Kelly!!" He shouted up the stairs, and after a moment, there came a voice from atop the stairs.   
"Yeah?"  
"Come down here". Kloppman said.   
There came a rapid *thump-thump-thump* on the stairs before Jack Kelly was visible, hopping the last two steps and landing with a large *thud* on the hard wood floor.  
When his eyes fell on the soaked figure near the door that, needless to say, had left a rather large water mark, Jack gave a sarcastic little smirk.  
Judging by the boy's height, he knew exactly what Kloppman expected of him.   
Also expecting this, Kloppman rounded the front counter and went back to whatever he was doing without another regard to the situation whatsoever.   
"I'm Jack Kelly". Jack said casually as he thrust a hand toward the boy, and the boy shook it lightly, despite the fact that his own hand was still pretty damp. Jack didn't seem to mind, he didn't even wipe his hands on his pants afterwards.   
"You got a name, kid?" He asked after seeing that the boy wasn't going to say voluntarily.  
"Gabriel". Said the boy in a raspy voice tinted with an obvious Irish accent, the first word he'd spoken since he entered the building. Jack maintained his casualty, despite how puzzled he was about this boy, as he motioned for Gabriel to follow him up the stairs.   
"Well, Gabriel, welcome to the newsies lodge! I's got a bunk upstairs near the window with your name on it and some dry clothes for ya". Jack explained as Gabriel followed him up the stairs and into one of the large rooms. He entered the room and crossed over to his bed, but Gabriel lingered near the door, unsure. Half of the boys in the room were lounging in bed, few asleep. And a small group of them were sitting around playing cards on an upturned crate. Most of them looked up at Gabriel.  
"Hey, Jack, who's this?" Asked one of them.  
"Keep your pants on and I'll tell ya". Jack replied, coming back over to where Gabriel was standing, a fresh change of clothes in his hands. "Everybody, this here's Gabriel, he'll be joinin' our ranks". Jack announced, and then turned to Gabriel. "You's'll learn name's as y'go. For now, you can change outta them wet clothes". He handed the small pile to Gabriel and pointed him in the direction of the washroom. Gabriel mumbled a small thank you as he turned and left the room, and Jack shook his head as he plopped down onto a crate where some boys were playing cards. They looked at him questioningly.  
"So where'd ya dig him up?" Asked Mush, and Jack only shrugged.   
"Didn't".   
"Ain't much if y'ask me". Said Racetrack as he put down a card and picking up another.  
"Yeah, well, nobody asked you". Jack said, drawing himself a hand from the deck. "Anyway, like I was sayin', you'se guys shoulda seen it-"   
The topic of Gabriel drifted quickly as the small group continued their normal routine, or what could be considered normal, and he was quickly forgotten about.  
It wasn't until about ten minutes later that Gabriel returned to the room, standing once again in the doorway with a pile of wet clothes in his hands, making no move to enter. Jack looked up at him.   
"Hey, Gabe. You'se wanna play some cards with us?"  
Gabriel politely shook his head, and a couple of the newsies exchanged glances.   
"OK then, your bunk's that empty one by the window". Jack said, pointing to the bunk he was referring to, and Gabriel nodded, heading in that direction.   
Jack watched as he did, like a couple of the other newsies sitting there, then turned and continued with the game.  
Gabriel was unaware of this though, as he sat down on the bottom bunk of the bed, the top bunk being occupied. He set his wet clothes on the floor at his feet and slip them under the bed, then he laid his head down on the pillow, pulling his feet up onto the bed and curling up into a ball.   
It was an odd position for a boy as tall as he was, but no one paid much mind to him that night. It was just as well. 


	2. Chapter 2: Adjusting

Chapter 2: Adjusting  
  
The next morning when Kloppman came in to get the boys up, Gabriel was already gone from his bed, his wet clothes still in a pile on the floor. Kloppman didn't seem to notice as he whacked boys in the back of their heads, telling them to get up. Of course, they knew he meant no harm.  
It wasn't until a few minutes after he had left that Racetrack noticed Gabriel's empty bed, and didn't see him around anywhere. He looked up and saw Crutchy coming from the washroom.   
"Hey, Crutch, you'se seen that new guy in the John?" He asked, pulling his pants up over his long johns and buttoning them.   
"Uh...Nope, don't think so". Crutchy replied as he hobbled quickly over to his bed to get his shirt and hat. Racetrack simply gave a quizzical little frown, shrugged, and grabbed his hat from the bedpost.  
"Maybe he left early". Jack said from where he was sitting on his bed, lacing his shoes.  
"I guess". Said Racetrack, though not seeming to care very much only wondering out of curiosity. "Or maybe he left permanently". He said, almost as an afterthought, as he headed for the door.  
  
*  
  
It wasn't until later that afternoon that Jack spotted Gabriel, selling his papers on a street corner in a lightly crowded area of Manhattan. He didn't approach Gabriel immediately, but instead was slightly surprised by his appearance. He seemed to know exactly what he was doing, shouting out slightly over-exaggerated headlines to the passing crowds.   
What surprised Jack was that, considering he had sold three papers since Jack had spotted him a couple minutes ago, he didn't have many papers left.   
This kid's good, he thought with a little smirk as he started in Gabriel's direction.  
"Hey, Gabe!" He called out, started into an easy jog.  
Gabriel turned, his eyes growing a little wide as he scanned the street for the owner of the voice. But when he saw who it was, his tension eased and he gave a small smile.  
"Hello". Was all he said, that odd Irish accent ringing.   
"You tryin' to beat us all, here, or what?" Jack said sarcastically, but Gabriel didn't see the sarcasm. "What?" He asked. "You evah been a newsie before? You seem like you know what you're doin'". Jack said.  
"No".   
"How many papes y'sold today?"  
"Um..." Gabriel flipped through the remainders of what he had bought that morning.  
"Twelve, I guess..." He confirmed hesitantly. Jack raised his eyebrows, doing a quick double take at Gabriel's pile. "You only bought twenty papes?" He asked, surprised.   
From what he'd just seen, it seemed like Gabriel could have- should have- sold around fifty!  
"Ya, I guess so..." Gabriel said.   
Jack sighed exasperatingly, making it obvious to Gabriel that he was displeased.   
"And you've never been a newsie before?"   
"No".   
"Well..." Jack trailed, surveying their surroundings and taking a wild guess at the time of day, considering the position of the sun. "We'se ain't got enough time for me to help ya out today, so we'll have to give it a try tomorrow. And..." He looked Gabriel up and down, going through the information once more. "I guess I'll go easy on ya. We'll split, fifty-fifty, kay?"  
"I guess". Gabriel said with a light shrug.   
"Wise decision, my friend". Jack said, giving Gabriel a rather hard swap on the back.   
  
*  
  
That evening, Gabriel didn't return to the Lodge until late that night. He was surprised to see a few of the newsies still awake, sitting around the stove. They all looked up at him, only one looked familiar.   
"Hey, Gabriel. We'se thought you ditched us and joined up with Brooklyn, comin' in so late and all". Said Mush. Gabriel only shrugged. "I got a little lost, I guess".   
The others grinned. "Sure ya did, kid". Said one. "Sure ya did".   
"What?" Gabriel said, obviously not getting the joke. They just chuckled among themselves.  
Sighing a little with dejection, he turned and walked over to his bunk. As he was sitting and taking off his shoes, he sensed someone approaching the bed, and jumped a little as he turned.   
"Whoa, calm down, buddy. It's only me".   
Gabriel eased as Jack squatted down next to him and spoke low, so as not to wake any of the other newsies who were sleeping. "Hey, don't mind those guys, you'll get used to 'em. See, they, uh..." He massaged the bridge of his nose a little before continuing. "They always assume that when one'a the guy's is out late and comes in not sayin' where he's been, that he's been out knockin' around'er somethin'".   
Gabriel got a strange, almost sick look on his face, and glanced back over his shoulder at the small group across the room.   
"Yeah, exactly". Jack continued with a little laugh. "A word of advice, if you'se don't want people to know where ya been, give'em a long one".   
Gabriel looked confused, so Jack elaborated. "Give'em a good story, kid. Tell 'em you'se was at Medda's or got talkin' to someone on the street, but ya gotta make it good. Give'em details, ya know".   
Gabriel hesitated, and then nodded. Jack punched his shoulder lightly. "Ain't much for talkin', are ya?" He said, standing. As he turned to walk away, Gabriel's voice stopped him.   
"Aren't you going to ask where I was?"  
Jack turned and looked at him, shrugging. "Nope, got nothin' to do with me so why do I care where ya go. Just remember that you'se with me tomorrow, so don't take off early like ya did today, kay". Jack didn't wait for a response as he turned and walked away.  
Gabriel watched him go, then looked out the window next to his bed, which was pretty scrunched in next to the wall, so he didn't have to crane his neck and back to see outside and still be sitting on the bed. It was very dark outside, with few lights in any of the surrounding windows that he could see. But the stars shone brightly in the sky, and the longer he looked, the more stars he could see.   
She'd would be looking at those stars, he knew it. But not through glass, from a warm building. No, she was out there, in the cold, alone.   
Not much longer now, Gabriel thought as he lay down, watching those stars.   
Not much longer. 


	3. Chapter 3: Getting to Know You...Maybe

Chapter 3: Getting to know you...maybe  
  
Gabriel was quiet most of the next day, while Jack, on the other hand, talked long and loud. Not just to Gabriel, but announcing the "headlines" and showing Gabriel the ropes. Gabriel's constant tension and low speech was starting to bother Jack a little, and he commented on it every now and then, but didn't get on Gabriel's case about it.   
There was something strange about this kid, though, and he knew it. Like there was a whole other world inside his head, something or somewhere other then the newsie he now was.  
Sometimes he hid it well enough, shouting right along with Jack and selling quite a few papes, but other times, when business slowed, he drifted off again.  
"Hey, you in there?" Jack said suddenly, nudging Gabriel in the side. Gabriel nodded quickly. "Ya, sorry. Just thinkin'". Jack noticed he'd gotten a little more comfortable with is surrounding's, and with Jack. "Well, keep day dreamin' and you won't sell no papes". Jack said before shouting out the headline. "Right". Gabriel said, shouting along with him.  
That evening, when they started back to the lodge house, Jack talked and Gabriel listened. He didn't say a word.  
"...And tomorrow aftah sellin' we'se goin' to Medda's for a while, the guy's and me. Brooklyn'll be there, too, and Davey and his sister, Sarah, me girl..." He rambled on and such about some of the stuff that they'd done last time a bunch of newsies got together at Medda's, which was just earlier that week, and about the strike a couple months back.   
Gabriel was only half listening, though. His mind was somewhere else.  
When they reached the lodge house and made it up to the bunk room, Gabriel went over to his bed and sat down, taking something out from under his pillow. He grew quiet, and no one paid him much attention. Jack sat down with some of the others for a couple games of poker.   
"How'd sellin' go, Jack?" Mush asked, dealing the cards.   
"Pretty good, I s'pose. He's gettin' there, slowly".   
"You mean Gabriel?" Said Skittery as he looked over his hand.  
"Yeah, I's teachin' him the ropes".   
"Sixty-Forty, right, Jack?" Racetrack asked, and Jack shook his head.   
"Nope, even split. He looked like he could use a brake".   
"Oh, gettin' soft there in your old age, huh?" Teased Mush, and Jack just rolled his eyes.  
"So how was he?" Racetrack asked then. "How was he what?" Jack asked, slightly confused. "You know, did he talk to ya at all? Did he say anything weird?"   
Leave it to you, Jack couldn't help but think in regards to Race's kind of rude question.  
"No". Was all he said instead. The others looked at each other. "No what?" Asked Kid Blink. "No, he didn't say much. He was pretty quiet". Jack said.   
Crutchy, who was laying on his bed near them, listened to their conversation and looked over at Gabriel's bed. He was gone!  
  
*  
  
After the others had all gone to bed, Crutchy lay still on his bed, listening. He hadn't said anything about Gabriel disappearing, and he wasn't sure if any of the others had noticed it. If they had, no one said anything. Gabriel would have to come back some time, and for some reason, Crutchy felt like waiting. There was definitely something about this guy, and he couldn't shake the thought of Gabriel from his head.   
Crutchy's eyes were just starting to droop when the door creaked open, and Gabriel slipped in silently. He didn't notice Crutchy watching him as he made his way over to his bed and lay down, falling quickly to sleep. Crutchy waited a moment, then got more comfortable for sleeping and shut his eyes. He was too tired to ask Gabriel about anything right now.  
  
*  
  
The next day went quite the same as the first, with Jack giving instructions and talking and Gabriel keeping quiet most of the time.   
"Hey, you in there, kid?"  
The sound of Jack's voice brought Gabriel back from wherever his mind had been, and he apologized. "Why you always doin' that?" Jack asked without hesitation, and Gabriel shrugged. "I don't know, just trying to remember everything I guess".   
"Everything I's teachin' ya?"   
"Yeah".   
"Well, I guess whatever gets you selling earns us both money". Jack said half-heartedly just before shouting out another headline, ridiculously exaggerated, of course. Gabriel followed suite, not quite shouting as Jack did, though, which was something Jack knew he'd have to work on with the boy.   
That evening, Gabriel disappeared once again until later that night after all the others were asleep, when he crept quietly into the room full of bunks and tiptoed to his by the window. He shivered slightly, feeling the draft from the window, which was wedged open about two inches. He'd tried to close it that morning, but was told that it was stuck that way and couldn't be budged. Kloppman had yet to fix it.  
Gabriel slid under the thin blankets on his bed and was quickly asleep. Crutchy, who'd waited up for him again, noticed how incredibly bushed he looked when he'd walked into the room. But he decided again to keep quiet and not ask Gabriel where he'd been.   
Things continued as such for about two months, and Gabriel grew more accustomed to the way things worked in the Lodge House, as well as the way the newsboys acted. Though he rarely spoke or sat to play cards with them or anything, he was getting used to how to act and defend himself and such around them. Still curious but never letting on, Crutchy tried every now and then to strike up a conversation with Gabriel. It worked sometimes, and though Gabriel still didn't say much, Crutchy was able to get to know him a little better.   
Gabriel was now going off to sell on his own, without Jack's expertise, and still did not come back before at least eleven at night, despite how cold the weather was becoming. Few of the newsies took notice to the fact that, though he sold fifty papers a day, the only extra money that Gabriel had was what he gave to Kloppman for his bunk. Crutchy and Jack were the first one's to catch on to this fact, and Mush soon asked what was up to. He'd asked Gabriel one night if he was going with a bunch of them over to Medda's, and he'd said he had no money. It didn't take a genius to see that Gabriel had obviously been loosing weight since he first became a newsie, and Mush asked Jack about it. The three of them seemed to be the only one's who noticed, other than maybe Racetrack and Kid Blink, who merely made a crack every now and then about the "Ninety-five pound Weakling". They meant nothing by it though, and it was obvious that Gabriel didn't let them bother him. 


	4. Chapter 4: The Mystery of Gabriel

Chapter 4: The Mystery of Gabriel  
  
One night, Gabriel didn't come back to the lodge house until way past midnight, like he'd been doing for about a week or so, and he stumbled over someone's jacket that was laying on the floor, nearly tripping, but catching himself just in time. He hurried over to his bed, shivering terribly, but before he could crawl under the one blanket he now had, he caught sight of the window. There was only a small breeze blowing through it, but it was a cold November breeze that blew right across the foot of Gabriel's bed.   
Gabriel looked around the dark room for something large enough to shove into the crack and block the cold, but nothing could be found. So he grabbed his own pillow off his bed and stuffed it in the crack, successfully stopping the breeze. Then he literally jumped into bed, pulling the blanket completely over his head and curling up into a ball to keep warm.   
  
*  
  
Mush turned when he heard a terrible cough across from his bunk, where Gabriel stood, tying his shoes. Gabriel stopped for a moment to rub his nose on his long sleeved shirt before continuing what he was doing.   
"Hey, you alright, kid?" Mush asked as he put his hat on.   
Gabriel nodded. "Yeah, fine".   
"Sure? You don't sound too good".   
"I'm alright". Gabriel said reassuringly as he stood and headed for the door. Half the newsies were already gone and heading to pick up there papers. "Ain't you got a jacket'er nothin'?" Mush called after him, but Gabriel was already out the door and either didn't here him or ignored him.  
Of course, Mush had noticed that Gabriel didn't have a jacket not long after the weather began to change, but never thought to say anything about it. Most newsies had a jacket or something that they whore when the weather got cold.  
He's never gonna survive through the season like this, Mush couldn't help but note to himself as he headed for the door himself.   
  
Gabriel shouted as loud as the cold would allow his throat to handle, exaggerating the headlines the way Jack had taught him. He didn't like the job, but it was the only way to save them.   
The weather was already too cold, he thought he'd have more time than this. He knew his time was running out, they wouldn't last much longer.  
Gabriel's mind began to drift as he shouted; it was something he had learned to do. He could now carry on with his selling as if his full attention was on it, but his mind was on something else. He didn't do this intentionally though.  
Gabriel coughed violently then, bending over slightly, but he quickly recovered and returned to his selling.   
He just couldn't get them out of his head though, couldn't get her out of his head. They were depending on him. His mind drifted back to that time not so long ago, when this whole mess seemed almost impossible...  
  
(This story to be posted soon.)  
  
  
"Hey, gimme that!"   
Racetrack snatched the towel that had just been taken from him by another newsie, and whipped the cold water from his face.   
"Easy, Race, the water ain't gonna get any colder the longer it stays on your face". Jack said with a smirk, whipping his own face with his shirt sleeve and sliding over so Skittery could get at the water.  
"Well, the sun's up and I wanna be under it". Racetrack said, grabbing his jacket and heading for the door. Jack merely rolled his eyes and sat down on a stool to put his shoes on.   
Crutchy, who stood by his bed buttoning his coat, smiled and shook his head, listening to the ranting and raving of his friends. "Gabriel". He called half-heartedly, having seen Gabriel still in bed when he woke up a little while earlier, but there came no response. Crutchy thought little of it as he fished his rarely used cap from under his bed.   
"Hey, Gabby, papes ain't gettin' any cheaper, let's go!" Jack called rather loudly as he sauntered into the room, having heard that the boy was not yet awake. He went over to Gabriel's bed and shook his shoulder, saying, "Gabriel, get up".   
Gabriel moved a little, moaning slightly, and Jack frowned. He didn't like how cold that blanket felt under his touch.  
"Gabe, you alright under there?" He said, pulling the blanket away from Gabriel's face. He cursed at the sight before him. Gabriel was not alright.   
  
*  
  
"It's a miracle he made it through the night", the doctor was saying to Kloppman. There was only a handful of newsies who'd stayed behind from selling to see what had happened to Gabriel, Jack, Mush, and Crutchy. They were listening from a distance as the doctor spoke with Kloppman about Gabriel's illness. They'd moved Gabriel downstairs to an empty storage room where Kloppman had set up an old cot and some blankets that had been leant out by other newsies.  
"You'll have to keep him warm, and try to limit his visitors if possible". The doctor continued, and Kloppman nodded as the two men walked out of the small storage room and closed the door, leaving it only open a crack.  
"So how is he?" Jack was the first to venture after the doctor had left, and Kloppman sighed. "Doc says he's got Pneumonia, gonna be tough helpin' him fight it".   
"We'll help ya, Kloppy". Mush immediately spoke up.  
"Yeah, we'se got a few extra cents, we can get'im food and stuff!" Crutchy added, smiling with the realization that he could help Gabriel.  
"I'll bet the others would be happy ta'help out, too". Jack said as well.  
"That would help a lot, I'm sure. Half'a the extra expenses go into heatin' this place, so that'll help the boy a lot". Kloppman said.  
The three boys hurried out then to get to work selling, and that evening Jack held a meeting upstairs and told everybody about Gabriel. Most everybody was willing to chip in a cent or two every day to help, even Racetrack.   
It was usually Jack who bought the food, and they switched off bringing it in to Gabriel. It just so happened to be Mush's turn first, and when he went into the small storage room, Gabriel was asleep.  
Mush set the bowl of hot soup that Jack had bought down on a wooden crate next to Gabriel's cot, and then nudged him gently.  
"Gabriel, I got some soup for ya". He said, and Gabriel stirred before opening his eyes weakly.   
"Wha....what happened?" He spoke hoarsely.   
"You'se sick, Gabe. Real bad with pneumonia. Think y'can sit up?"  
Mush reached to help him, but Gabriel waved him away.   
"H-how long have I been sleeping?"  
"'Bout two days. Jack found ya sick yesterday morning. Now here, lemme help ya sit up so you'se can eat this here that Jack got ya, it'll help ya get better". Mush tried to persuade him again, but Gabriel shook his head, trying to sit up, but not to eat.  
"No, no, I have to get up". He said, pushing the blankets away and trying to climb off the cot, but Mush gently pushed him back.  
"What? You crazy or somethin', you'se is sick as a dog, Gabe!"  
"No, I have to work. I have to!" Gabriel looked around the floor, as if trying to find his shoes. But then he began to cough violently, hunching over. Mush waited for his coughing to subside before speaking again.   
"You have to stay here, you can't go out this way".   
Gabriel only moaned and sunk back down onto the cot, as if his strength had been exhausted just from that small amount of movement.  
"Mush, you need t-to do something...for me". Gabriel said, realizing his defeat. He had hoped that this wouldn't happen, but now he was left with no other choice.  
"Sure, Gabe". Mush said willingly.   
"Go to Tibby's,"   
"Yeah?"  
"Keep going on that road past two street corners, then take a left,"... 


	5. Chapter 5: Mush Goes Out...

Chapter 5: Mush Goes Out...  
  
Mush folded up the collar of his jacket to keep the biting cold away from his neck as he made his way around another corner. He wished now that he had written Gabriel's directions down, but what could possibly be so important that Mush had to go all the way across town to get for him.   
Gabriel had simply told him that there was something he needed, and he wanted Mush to get it and bring it back to the lodging house.   
Mush stopped outside a small department store, and read the name on the front window. "Andersons", this was the place. Mush edged to the other side of the building and into the side alley, just as Gabriel had told him to do.  
"Next to a wooden crate, by a trash box..." Mush muttered to himself, walking further into the alley. At least the small area sandwiched between the two buildings blocked a good deal of the wind.   
He immediately spotted the trash box and hurried over to it, and when he saw no crate, he walked past it to check the other side.   
And was met with something he hadn't expected.  
It was obviously a person, laying curled up in a ball next to a wooden crate, covered with two or three blankets. Mush recognized the one from Gabriel's bed, he'd had two when he first arrived, and Mush had overheard Crutchy saying something about the missing blanket to Jack, but neither said anything to Gabriel.  
Oh boy, Mush couldn't help but think. "Uh...Hey?" He said out loud, but the person didn't respond. "Hey, you awake?" He continued, crouching down and tapping the figure gently. Whoever it was shifted a little, and the blankets were pulled away from their face to reveal a young girl, thin and pale faced. Upon seeing him, she pulled away, frightened.   
"It's alright, Gabriel sent me". Mush said right away, but the girl still looked frightened. "I's t'take you back to the lodgin' house with me".  
At this, the girl looked a little more at ease, even hopeful.   
"The newsies lodging house?" She spoke, her voice soft and frail, with an obvious Irish accent that Mush noticed right off, but didn't say anything about. "Yeah, come on". Mush said, offering to help her up, and she accepted his offer, though making sure to keep the blankets wrapped tightly around herself. Mush put his arm around her shoulders and led her out of the alley and into the bitter cold wind, which continued to grow fiercer with every minute that passed.   
Mush noticed right away that the girl tended to walk funny, her legs were a little further apart than normal, especially for a girl her size.   
"How far is it?" She asked then, interrupting Mush's thoughts.   
"About ten blocks from here, I think".   
A pained expression crossed the girls face, but she said nothing.  
Mush didn't offer to carry her, but decided in his head that if she fainted or appeared to be getting sick, he'd carry her.  
Though another thing he couldn't get over though was that it seemed that she was holding something beneath the blankets that he could not see, he wondered what it was. Half way to the lodging house he found out.  
A strong wind suddenly swept across them, and the girl began to cough violently. She lost her grip on her blankets for a moment, causing them to fly open and let a cold breeze hit her, but also long enough to allow Mush to catch sight of her mid-section, which made his eyes go wide.   
Either the frailty of her face hid the fact that she was very over-weight, or she was pregnant!  
Mush helped her wrap the blanket back around herself, but she looked as though she hadn't even noticed it if she were pregnant.  
Mush's silence only lasted a block before he finally asked the question, "Are you pregnant?"  
She looked up at him with a look that said didn't you know?. "Yes".   
"Well, why didn't you'se say somethin' before?" And with that, Mush swept her off her feet and into his arms in one swift motion, and though she looked greatly startled, he carried her the rest of the way to the lodging house.  
  
*  
  
Mush stumbled up to the lodging house door and banged on it with his foot. The girl had moments before seemed to loose consciousness in his arms, making the trip slightly more difficult for Mush to handle, especially when carrying the extra weight of a baby!   
The first one to answer the door, much to Mush's surprise, was Spot Conlon, leader of the Brooklyn newsies! He looked startled when he first saw what was waiting at the door, and when Mush nearly tripped trying to get though the doorway, Spot reached out a caught the load in his arms just before Mush dropped her. Jack was there a second later, helping Spot balance with the girl in his arms and shutting the door behind Mush to keep the cold from coming in.  
Spot remained speechless, the whole event having taken place in a matter of about three seconds, while Jack was all questions.  
"Where the heck was you?" He asked.   
"I had to do somethin' fer Gabriel". Mush said, panting slightly.  
"Well who's this?" Jack asked, indicating the girl in Spot's arms.   
"That's what I had to do". Mush answered.  
"Jacky, she's pregnant!" Spot spoke up then, having just then realized it. "Pregnant!?" Jack exclaimed, hurrying over. Then they both turned to Mush, dumbfounded, and Mush shrugged. "Hey, don't look at me! I just picked her up!"   
"Gabe sent you t'get her?" Jack asked, and Mush nodded. Jack and Spot looked at each other, then down at the girl.  
"Well, come on, let's find out what's goin' on". Jack said, motioning for Spot to follow him as he made his way toward the storage room where Gabriel was. "If Kloppman finds'er, he'll string us both up, you know dat don't ya?" Spot said, and Jack nodded. "Yeah, and Gabriel too. Then he'll burry us in the basement. Come on". He opened the door quietly and peered in, seeing that Gabriel was awake.   
"Jack?" Gabriel spoke weakly, trying to sit up.  
"Hey, hey, take it easy there, Gabe. I think you'se got some explaining t'do". Jack said, though not with a threatening tone as he stepped into the room, followed by Spot. Gabriel's eyes went wide. He tried to speak, but only ended up coughing terribly, choking out "What happened?".  
"Mush brought her like this, she you're girl or somethin'?" Spot asked, he and Gabriel had met only once before, so they knew each other somewhat.  
"Kind of, what's wrong with her?" Gabriel was attempting to get out of bed, and Jack nearly had to shove him to get him to stay there.  
"Let me go-," Gabriel tried to say, but Jack interrupted him. "Spot, bring'er over here". Spot did so, and laid her on the bed next to Gabriel.   
Gabriel touched her face lightly, and then bent over to listen to her stomach. After a moment a faint, tired smile crossed his face.  
Jack looked over at Spot, who only shrugged. "Mind tellin' us what this is all about, Gabby". Jack asked, and Gabriel looked up, as if remembering that they were still there. "Kinda". He said honestly.  
Jack scowled. "Well, she can't exactly stay here unless we'se got a good reason to let her. Kloppy'd have our heads".   
"We won't tell anybody if that's what you'se worried about". Spot added. Gabriel's face had taken on a beaten expression, and he sighed.   
"I guess I don't have a choice, do I". He said.  
"Not if you'se want her to stay here." Jack confirmed, and Gabriel sighed. "Alright..."   
Gabriel paused, as if hoping one of them would intercept and say he didn't have to tell them, but neither said a word, only waited his story. Gabriel looked down at the sleeping figure beside him, and reached with one weak hand to pull the blankets more securely around her. "We both came here from Ireland. Immigrated, I guess you could say, to America after an accident. (pause) One that got her pregnant". Gabriel seemed almost regretful, and Jack spoke before he could continue. "Was you the one that did it?" He asked, and Gabriel shook his head. "No, I only was acquainted with her before it happened, but it wasn't me. I had no part in it, (pause) I only wished I could have stopped it". He gazed down at her again, and Spot and Jack looked at each other.  
"What happened?" Spot asked, and Gabriel closed his eyes, as if he'd been there to see it and was remembering it with horror and disgust.   
"She was...taken advantage of one night. I didn't find her until the next night, that's when we left for America".   
"But why'd ya hafta leave?" Spot asked.   
"It was the only way..." Gabriel stopped to cough, rather violently, as he'd had to do numerous times as he spoke, and they waited patiently for it to subside. "It was the only way, where she came from they'd have punished her greatly, they'd never have believed it to be an accident".   
"Well, dat ain't fair". Jack said, scowling.   
"Where'd she come from?" Spot asked, and Jack swatted his arm. "Maybe he don't wanna say, lay off with the questions, will ya?"  
"A convent". Gabriel said, sort of interrupting Jack. "She came from a convent in Ireland".   
Spot and Jack both looked at each other, either face displaying a look of surprised mixed with discomfort. They knew what a convent was, just barely, and knew that there weren't any in America as far as they knew. This was definitely a strange turn of events.   
"What's her name?" Spot asked, and Jack fought the urge to swat him again. "Sarah". Gabriel said with slight hesitation.   
"When's she gonna have the baby?" This time Jack did swat him, and he instinctively reached for his cane. "It's alright, Jack". Gabriel said, braking into another fit of coughing and sinking lower onto his pillow, forced to do so from exhaustion. "Just shy of a month, I think".   
"And you left her out there alone?" Jack asked, not meaning to sound harsh, but not being able to help himself. "It wasn't my choice!" Gabriel immediately defended himself. "I couldn't bring her here, I'd have stayed out there with her if I could've. That's why I came here, I had to make money somehow, I couldn't let her stay outside all winter! I'm only a little shy of having enough money to rent a room in an Inn I found near Queens, the cheapest I could find-..."  
"Queens! Are you crazy or something!?" Spot exclaimed, then paused suddenly. "Wait a minute, what am I thinkin'! You'se could come to Brooklyn! I practically run the joint up there, I'se could get ya a room, easy!" Spot almost looked excited, but Gabriel shook his head.   
"N-no, I couldn't intrude on ya like that-..."  
"Heck, don't make no difference. We got lots'a space free, and you'se wont hafta pay for nothing". Spot said it with a sharp nod, and Gabriel suddenly knew there was no way he could turn down Spot's offer. He knew this was a sheer blessing from God, the leader of the Brooklyn newsies offering a room at no charge for himself and Sarah. He didn't know Spot very well, but well enough to know that he wasn't the type to go around doing things like this without expecting something back.  
Gabriel looked down, or more like over, at the young girl laying beside him, and closed his eyes half from exhaustion and half with content and thankfulness, silently thanking God for answering his prayers. When he opened them again, he smiled weakly at Spot. "Thank you, Spot".   
Spot looked over at Jack, smiling almost triumphantly. "That settles it then, soon as you feel up to walkin', you'se is comin' to Brooklyn".   
"What about the girl- I mean Sarah. Do we really wanna explain all this to Kloppman?" Jack said, unsure, and Spot paused. "I dunno, Cowboy, if I hurry on outta here, it'll be your hide and not mine. (pause) I suppose I'se could just take her with me, get her set up in Brooklyn and keep an eye on her 'till Gabby here's able to walk on his own to feet".   
Gabriel didn't like the sound of this at all. Even though he'd rather have her with Spot than out on the street alone, he wanted badly for her to stay there with him where he could protect her.   
"Whadda ya think, Gabe?" Jack asked, and Gabriel thought for a moment. He knew that, in his condition, he wouldn't be able to take very good care of her, and her being with him could vary easily get her sick as well, which would be no good by any means. He knew Spot would protect her, he was known for his fighting ability. No one messed with Spot Conlon. It gave him only little comfort though.  
With great hesitation, Gabriel consented to let Spot take Sarah with him to Brooklyn. 


	6. Chapter 6: To Brooklyn's (Lodge) House W...

Chapter 6: To Brooklyn's (Lodge) House we Go!  
  
Late that night, Mush and Racetrack had walked with Spot back to Brooklyn. They'd bundled up Sarah sufficiently, and switched off carrying her all the way to the lodging house in Brooklyn. The owner, who was rarely ever seen, was of course not there when they arrived. He was usually only there in the morning, and gone the rest of the time, allowing Spot to pretty much run the place. They walked right in, ignoring glances from curious Brooklyn newsies lounging about, and Mush passed the young girl into Spot's arms.   
"You'se sure you don't want us to send someone over later tomorrow to check up on her?" Racetrack asked.   
"I told you'se guys I could handle it. Besides, what good would it do, she don't know you any more than she knows me". Spot replied, speaking only by what he'd heard, which wasn't far from the truth.   
"Alright then, we'll send Gabby over 'soon as he's able".   
And with that, they left, and Spot carried Sarah up the stairs to the second floor, then up again to the third floor of the tall, yet drab and cramped little building. He shoved the door open to the room next to his own private one, and found two newsboys there. "OK, guys, move it out. This rooms taken". He said, and the two newsies looked at each other, confused. "But we just got here". One said.   
"Then it won't be too difficult to move to another room, will it, seein' as how ya haven't quite settled in yet. There's an empty room two doors down, it's a little nicer than this one, actually". Spot said, trying to make it a little more pleasant for them. Naturally, he'd have just ordered them out and not given a hoot where they went, but he didn't need any hot tempers right now, whether they be his own or someone else's. The two newsies complied, gathered their few things, and headed out the door. After they'd gone, Spot hurried over to one of the beds and lay Sarah down carefully, then sighed. His arms ached slightly, but he ignored it as he set to work carefully making her comfortable, then he stood and turned to go, closing the door behind him.   
  
*  
  
Later that night, which was actually the wee hours of the morning, Spot awoke with a start. Someone was screaming! He knew immediately who it was and leapt from his bed, running out the door and into the other room, ignoring the few drowsy yet startled newsies who stood in the hallway with curiosity.  
Sarah had crawled into the corner against the wall in the dark, and when she saw someone in the doorway, she screamed again. "Matthew!!"  
Spot momentarily ignored what she said and ran to the bedside. "Hey, hey, ssshhhh!" He said. "I'm not gonna hurt you!"  
"Who are you?" She asked, not making any move near him. "Spot Conlon, I'se take'n care of ya till Gabriel's feelin' better". Spot quickly explained, but Sarah looked confused. "G...Gabriel? Oh, Gabriel! What's wrong with him? Did he get hurt?"   
"Nah, he's sick real bad, but he's gettin' better, then he'll come here to stay at the lodging house with ya". Spot explained, glad she had calmed somewhat. "W'll, where is he now?" She asked. "At the Lodging house in Manhattan, we're in Brooklyn".   
"Oh...why?"   
Spot repeated, with a little more detail, the reasons she was there, and she sort of understood him. She didn't ask anymore questions after that, only if she could go back to sleep. So he left her and shut the door behind him. On his way back to his own bed, he noted that one good things about her being pregnant was that he knew none of the boys would mess with her during the night.   
Matthew? Spot thought then, climbing back into his bed. He disregarded it for now, figuring there were just more details he didn't know, or that Gabriel had purposely left out. He'd have to ask later.  
  
*  
  
Things continued like this for some time, Spot left every morning with the rest of the news boys to sell papers, but he came back to the lodge house every now and then to check on Sarah and make sure she was alright, like he'd promised to do. A hunch had told him that she wouldn't leave her room, and he was right. Every time he went back to the lodge house, she was in her room, usually sitting on the bed or laying, bundled up in the blankets and looking out the window. After a couple days, he began to bet that she was pretty bored most of the time, so one evening he dug through a small box in his room and pulled out two old books, one being a Bible. Both were pretty old and tattered, but he gave them to her to read during the day, figuring they'd keep her busy.   
Every few nights, though, Sarah would wake up screaming that same name, Matthew, and Spot would have to run into her room and calm her down and remind her where she was. It continued to puzzle him, though he had a good idea of what her nightmares contained. But still, that name made him think. He never found the time to make a trip to Manhattan and ask Jack or Gabriel about it, though, so he sent one of his boys out to tell Jack that he wanted to see him.  
The very next evening, after the selling day was pretty much over, Jack appeared at the door, and Spot met him outside to talk.   
"So what's the deal, Conlon? Ya get me out here in this blasted cold, it better be important". Jack said, turning the collar of his jacket up to block the cold. "Well, it is, Jacky. Listen, this girl's been wakin' up in the middle of the night sometimes, ya know, nightmares and stuff. I hear her screamin' this name, but it ain't Gabe's".   
"Well, who's is it?"  
"Matthew. None of my boys got that name that I know of, 'course she's never been here before. But she's never been at your lodging house either, other than sleeping, right?"  
"Right".   
"So who's this Matthew guy?"  
"Beats me, ya want me to ask Gabby?" Jack offered, and Spot nodded. "Yeah, that'd be good. I don't wanna be nosy'er anything, but it's got me kinda wonderin' is all".   
"Yeah, yeah, no problem. It's got me wonderin' now, too. I'll ask him about it, kay?"   
"OK, thanks, Cowboy". Spot said as Jack made ready to turn and leave, but then he paused. "You sure she was sayin' Matthew?" He asked, and Spot nodded. "Whadda ya think I'm deaf'er somethin', I know what I heard".   
"Alright, alright. Won't be too long before Gabe'll be comin' out so I'll probably see ya's in a couple'a days". Jack said, now turning and heading along the bridge. "Alright, see ya". Spot turned on his heel and walked back into the lodging house. He walked up both flights of stairs to the third floor, by now the walk didn't tire him as it had years before. He was young, he could handle it.   
But he wasn't sure whether he could handle what came next.   
He reached for the door handle to his room when he paused and gazed across the way at the door down the hall. He usually check on her every night before retiring, so he walked over to her door and knocked on it gently before entering. What he saw almost made him stumble walking through the door way. Sarah was by her bed, holding the underside of her stomach, looking as though she were trying to stand.   
"Wh...What's wrong?" Stupid question, he thought immediately, he knew what was wrong. "I don't know, I think my baby's coming". She said, her voice slightly pained. "But...But isn't it early!" Spot exclaimed, feeling his shield of power and authority fading away as the reality of the situation hit him. "I don't know..." Sarah said, then sucked in a little gasp. "I don't think I can stop it". She said, and Spot could feel himself beginning to panic. "Oh boy..." He said, his mind racing.   
Oh boy, oh boy...Snap out of it, Conlon! He scolded himself, and turned to face the hallway. He yelled for a couple of the newsboys down the hall, and when they came, he ordered one of them to run and catch Jack before he made it any further from the bridge. He told the other one to run and get a doctor as fast as he could, but he had a feeling it wouldn't be fast enough. Sarah suddenly moaned loudly, holding her stomach with a pained look on her face such as Spot couldn't remember ever seeing before. Oh boy, he thought, this baby wasn't going to wait for a doctor!   
Spot hurried to her side and had her lay back down on the bed, silently praying in the back of his mind. For what, he wasn't sure, nor did he pray very often, but he did it then nonetheless.   
Another cry, Spot grabbed her right hand with his left. "Just hold on, you'll be alright". He said, but couldn't get the worry out of his head. Is it supposed to happen this fast? He thought.   
"It hurts so badly!" Sarah cried, tears beginning to brim in her eyes.   
"The doctor'll be here soon, it'll be OK". Spot continued to tell her, he wished someone would hurry up and come!  
As if on cue, Jack burst into the doorway, out of breath, one of the Brooklyn newsies behind him. Using the Lords name in vain rather loudly, Jack rushed to the bedside. "How long has she been like this?"  
"Not long, twenty minutes maybe since I got here".   
"Oh boy". Jack said, putting a hand to his temple, then suddenly his eyes snapped open and he whirled around to face the lone Brooklyn newsie. "Run to Manhattan and go strait to Medda's, tell her to get her cart and come to Spot's, now!!" The boy was already at the stairs and barreling down them in a flash. Jack turned back to Sarah, who was squeezing Spot's hand. "Ya gonna be alright, Sarah, OK?" Jack said, then both he ad Spot looked up when the other newsie rushed in. "Doc ain't there, Spot, no one is!". He said, and Spot scowled with frustration.   
Jack also scowled, he'd hoped it wouldn't come to this. Regretfully, he turned to the newsie in the doorway. "Go downstairs and boil some water, get someone to bring up some clean rags or towels or somethin'!" The newsie ran to do as he'd been told, and Jack turned to Sarah, gently pulling her socks off. "What are you doing?" Spot asked, confused and hoping that Jack wasn't doing what it seemed like he was about to do.   
"I've seen Medda do it before, I even helped her once..."  
"But Jack-..."  
"Listen, this kid ain't waitin' for nobody, I never seen contractions this close before..."  
"Contractions?" Spot was completely confused, Jack didn't expect him to know much about childbirth. He was surprised he was fortunate enough to know what little he did.  
"She's givin' birth now, we can't wait!" Jack said quickly, carefully sliding off Sarah's pants, which were wet from her water braking, and tossing them on the floor. They were actually Gabriel's pants which he had given to her to where, along with a shirt and such, but she already had them unbuttoned to fit her stomach. "Oh boy". Spot said to himself, trying to keep a good hold on his tense mind. Sarah let out another pain filled cry, squeezing Spot's hand tighter than he thought a person of her size could, especially a girl! "Just hold tight, Sarah, OK? We're gonna get this kid outta you real soon". Jack said, trying to sound calm, but his shaking hands betrayed him. Just then, the newsie came back upstairs with a pile of towels. "The waters heatin' up now". He said, handing the towels to Jack and trying not to stare at the sight before him.   
"Thanks". Jack muttered, just as Sarah cried out again, this time louder. "You sure you know what you're doin'?" Spot asked skeptically, not willing to go with any second guesses as he watched Jack work.  
"More than you do". Jack muttered, trying to focus on what he was doing.  
Sarah was beginning to sweat profusely, panting hard. By now a small crowd had gathered outside the door, watching, and Spot told one of them to "make themselves useful" and grab something to tie Sarah's hair back with so that it was not sticking to the sides of her face. Two or three ran to get something, and Spot was given a small leather string, which he promptly tied around her hair to pull it back.  
She screamed again, and this time Jack jumped back slightly. "Holy cow, this baby's comin'!" He exclaimed. "Uh, Spot I think I'm gonna need your help over here!"   
Spot hurried to Jack's side, but to his surprise, Jack got up and hurried to where Spot had been beside Sarah. "Well, what am I supposed to do!?" He exclaimed as Jack took hold of Sarah's hand. "Just catch it when it comes out. One'a you guys find a pair of scissors!" A few newsies left the doorway to find some, and Jack turned to Sarah.   
"Alright Sarah, listen carefully. When I say so, I need you to push really hard, as hard as you can, OK?"   
Sarah nodded shakily, and Jack placed his hand on her forehead. "You're gonna be alright, ya hear me?" He said, and she nodded again.   
"You ready Spot?" Jack asked, and Spot nodded, though not quite sure.  
"Alright...push!"   
Sarah's face scrunched up with pain as she held her breath and pushed with all her might until she could push no more, then stopped and began to cry more. "It hurts!" She cried out, just as a Brooklyn newsie walked up to the door, saw what was happening, and immediately began shoving all the boys away from the door. "Alright, move it out! Nothin' to see here, give the girl some privacy!!" He pushed the arguing newsies back and shut the door, leaving the three alone in the room.   
"OK, you ready?" Jack asked, and Sarah shook her head quickly. "Well, too bad, ya gotta push again if ya want the pain to stop. Ready...now!"  
Sarah pushed again as hard as possible, and like before she couldn't only go a few seconds before letting a breath out and crying out in pain.   
"I see it!" Spot yelled, his eyes wide.  
"What is it?" Jack immediately asked.   
"A baby, genius!" Spot snapped, and Jack rolled his eyes. "OK Sarah...push now!" Again, the young girl pushed as hard as possible.   
"We got a head, here!" Spot yelled, and Jack abandoned asking if it was a boy or a girl yet. "OK, just once more...now!"   
Sarah gave as hard a push as she could manage, crying out horribly. Spot had his hands ready to catch the baby when it came out, and the sound they heard stood out above all the crying and shouting in the world.  
Spot was too in shock to think of anything sarcastic to say about something so small making so much noise; he was frozen in place, his hands and arms carefully supporting what he thought was the most fragile thing he'd ever held in his life. He stared down at the baby in wonder, his eyes partially wide, as the child wriggled slightly in his hold.   
Just then, a Brooklyn newsie burst in with a pair of scissors, and Jack rushed from Sarah's side to get them. Spot didn't think to ask what they were for as Jack came over to him and the baby, and cut the umbilical chord which Spot had failed to even notice. He also didn't think to ask what it was even for, since he hadn't the slightest idea.   
He trusted Jack's knowledge about child birth now.  
Jack reached for one of the remaining clean towels and took the baby carefully from Spot, who almost argued, but said nothing as Jack wiped the baby's and body off carefully, then wrapped it in another clean towel and went over to Sarah.   
At first he wasn't sure what to say as he gently handed the baby to Sarah, who struggled to sit up and take the child in her arms. The baby was still crying; so was Sarah.   
"It's...uh...it's a boy". Jack stammered slightly with his words as Sarah gazed down at the tiny baby boy in her arms.   
Spot remained where he was, taking a moment to regain his composure, then turned and saw the lone newsie standing in the corner, watching with a slight smile. Spot quickly wiped away the mess on the bed, pulling away the messy towels, and pulled a blanket over the girl. Then he turned back to the newsie and glared at him. "Beat it".   
Just then the door swung open and in rushed Medda, followed by the newsie who'd run to get her. The scene before her caught her off guard for a moment, and then she smiled. "Oh you blessed boys". She said, smiling, then came to Sarah's side. "Are you alright, honey?" She asked, and Sarah looked up at her, tears in her eyes. "It was worth it". She said, turning back to her baby. "It was all worth it". 


	7. Chapter 7: The Reunion...Finally!

Chapter 7: The Reunion...Finally!  
  
It was two days before Jack would finally let Gabriel leave the lodging house in Manhattan and go to Brooklyn, accompanied by Mush, of course, who had already seen the baby.   
"Gabe, slow down!" Mush yelled, trying to keep up with Gabriel as he ran across the Brooklyn Bridge. He'd practically run the entire way there, much to Mush's displeasure. He didn't know Gabriel had it in him!  
Up in Sarah's room, Spot was sitting next to the bed reading to Sarah and the baby out of the Bible. Much to his own surprise, he'd offered to do it every now and then, Sarah wanted her baby to hear the words, and she could not do much of anything except lay in bed with the baby. She'd been very weak since the birth, but Medda had said it was normal for a girl her age.   
"Thus the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but it was not consumed..." Every once in a while Spot would pause and think about what he was reading, it didn't make a whole lot of sense to him sometimes, but he read on anyway. "Then Moses said, 'I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn up'. So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, 'Moses-."  
Just then, the door flew open and Gabriel stood there, panting terrible and holding onto the doorframe to try and catch his breath. Sarah was startled at first, but when she saw him standing there, a great smile appeared on her face. "Sarah". Gabriel panted, coming over to the bedside, just as Mush came rushing into view from around the corner. He didn't enter the room though.   
Spot immediately rose from his seat, set the Bible down on the floor next to the bed, and moved toward the door.   
Gabriel sat on the edge of the bed beside her small form, and she smiled again. "Look," she said, pulling the blankets back, "My baby".   
Gabriel couldn't believe his eyes. He was perfect, a perfect baby boy. He stared for a long while, until Sarah finally spoke. "Matthew".   
He looked up at her questioningly, and she said, "His name is Matthew".   
At first, Gabriel said nothing, and then he smiled warmly.   
"Here, you hold him". She said, making ready to pass the baby to Gabriel, who looked a little surprised, but complied. He felt a little uneasy, Matthew was so light in his arms, like holding nothing at all. He cradled the baby against his chest, being extra careful not to hold too tight. "Can...Can he be my son? I mean...C-can I marry you?"  
Sarah smiled, biting her lower lip, and nodded. An audible sigh could be heard from Gabriel, and Sarah leaned close to him so that there foreheads were resting against each other, and Gabriel closed his eyes, and then looked down at the baby. "He's beautiful". He said, and Sarah leaned back against the pillows Spot had put against the wall so she could sit up easier. She nodded in agreement, and Gabriel looked up at her. "So are you".   
  
Mush and Spot, who still stood in the doorway, smiled. Spot never really went for the mushy stuff, but this was different. Something made it more than just mushy stuff to him. Mush, on the other hand, was loving every minute of it, which was mostly how he acquired his nickname.   
Spot knew his cue, though, and took Mush by the arm as he walked out of the room completely, shutting the door behind him. Mush was still smiled as they walked down the hall. Spot slugged him in the shoulder.   
"Whadda you'se grinnin' at?" He tried to sound tough, but the grin on his face gave him away. "Nothin'?" Mush said. But he still smiled.   
  
  
THE END 


End file.
